


The World In My Veins

by moonprismtaehyung



Category: Red Velvet (K-pop Band), 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Archer! Jimin, Buckle in bitches, Dancer! Hoseok, Emperor! Yoongi, Enemies to Lovers, Fairy! Taehyung, Guardian of the Forest! Jimin, I won't start posting until the full story is written, Inspired by Princess Mononoke, M/M, Slow Burn, VERY MINOR RED VELVET, bc im always a slut for fairy au, imma abbreviate it to twimv, like the slowest burn, namjin - Freeform, no namjin slow burn, oh boy, taekook, this is gonna be a longer fic so get ready babes, which is a stupid abbreviation but fuCK KNOWS im too lazy to write out the title, yoongi has knives
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2018-02-19
Packaged: 2018-12-23 11:58:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 8,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11989347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonprismtaehyung/pseuds/moonprismtaehyung
Summary: The forests are alive, and in them live ancient creatures, long-forgotten gods and hidden monsters. No one dares challenge the force of nature the forests wield. No one would, but somehow...Or: Min Yoongi is the ruler of the Town of Iron, and finds himself locked in a battle of expansion in the forest, facing the guardian of the forest, Jimin.





	1. prologue

The forests in Korea are alive.

 

Travellers will tell you this, that when they walk through the woods they hear the trees singing and the spirits murmuring to each other in foreign tongues, languages long lost to civilization. There were tales that passed from nomad to nomad, tales of safe passage as long as you left the spirits food and didn’t harm any being in the forest. And of course, there were late-night tales of how in the dead of night, you might see ghostly and otherworldly figures, shadows and shells of humans with whispers of voices and haunting songs.

 

Everyone passing through knew of how the forest was alive, and of the protectors of the forest.

 

It had started many years ago, when a merchant had been walking through the forest and had heard the most strange and beautiful sound. It was a high and trembling voice, singing lightly to themselves, the words barely able to be recognized. It was joined by a low voice underlying the song, weaving around the other voice’s high notes and highlighting and amplifying the voice of the other.

 

The merchant had looked through the trees and found a pair of almost-human people, sitting perched in the tree branches and calmly matching each other’s voices. The first one he saw was a tall boy with a mess of brown hair that tangled itself over his forehead and barely covered his pointed ears. He was stretched out against a low hanging tree branch, swinging his feet childishly. He looked content, as if he wouldn’t rather be anywhere but here.

 

The second boy was less relaxed, and more as if he was simply perched on the tree branch. His feet were crossed at the ankle, and his eyes were closed in such a way that it felt that he was laughing at something that no one else knew about. His hair was cut choppily, a wave of the lightest pink he had ever seen, and placed on his head was a woven crown, a band of golden leaves and flowers that just reflected an air of majesty. His entire appearance felt beautiful, and regal. The first boy, the fairy, opened his mouth and laughed.

 

“Jimin, we have a visitor.”

 

“Is that so, Tae?” the boy answered, slowly, considering. He turned his head quietly, staring into the fearful eyes of the merchant. The merchant had ran back, a decision that he would come to regret as he shared his story, telling any man or woman that he passed about the king of the forest, and his fairy friend who ruled next to him.

 

They became revered in everyday life, honored as the kings of the forest.

 

But reality was not that sweet.


	2. Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jimin was in the clearing again.

Jimin was in the clearing practicing again. Bow in hand, he carefully nocked an arrow and pulled back the string, arms sinking into the familiar feeling of holding the bowstring taught. With aim, he let the arrow loose, watching it fly into the heart of his target, a sloppily-drawn circle on a tree. He smiled, relieved at watching it shoot straight.

“Still practicing?” a voice called from behind him.

He laughed, not bothering to turn around. “Yeah, Tae, because some of us have practices to keep up. When was the last time you even talked to Yeri?”

Tae cursed, hands flying to his pockets. “It’s not my fault! See, Jeongguk got back and he brought so many pretty things from the moor, and…” He trailed off, his excuse getting left behind. “I’ll do it now, if you’re going to keep reminding me.”

Taehyung found what he was looking for in his pockets: a small wooden wand. He closed his eyes, and focused on drawing the circles he needed to summon his companion. Green lights began to gather and flare around his wand, bubbling with energy. They almost looked like lightning bugs, his magic. The fairy finished drawing, and whispered to himself. “Lupum adet, amicii adet.”

 

Jimin smiled to himself as he watched the glowing circles Tae had drawn widen, and the wolf spirit, Yeri, slowly step out into the clearing. He was always jealous of Taehyung’s ability to draw forth such an amazing spirit into the world. The wolf spirit really was something else. Almost twice Jimin’s size, she was covered in white fur, coarse and rough in both her movements and language. She was a creature of immense power, but when it came to her and Taehyung-

“Yeri!” Taehyung screeched, jumping up to grab onto her back and hug her. The wolf growled in contentedness, her mouth widening to reveal sharp teeth. 

“You really are attached to her, aren’t you?” Jimin asked wryly. 

Taehyung laughed. “Don’t get jealous of our amazing relationship. She loves me! See?” He giggled as Yeri licked his face.

After an arduous amount of hugs and growls from Yeri, Tae sent her back to her home with a quick circle drawn in his green magic. 

Taehyung had always been skilled in magic at a young age. He had been sent to assist Jimin’s duties as the guardian of the forest at the age of ten. Jimin fondly remembered the stubborn pout Tae had kept on his face as he stomped into the clearing, pushing roots off Jimin’s barely-used chairs and sat down hard enough to break the fragile wood they were fashioned out of. In curt, clipped words he had explained that he was from the Pixie tribe (even though he towered inches above Jimin’s small stature). He was here to assist Jimin in his rule as guardian and would gladly help him if he required assistance. Jimin had greeted him politely, and scurried off, intimidated by the anger radiating from the small boy. 

Later that night, Jimin had all but forgotten Taehyung, and didn’t remember about him until nighttime, when he heard a quiet huff from behind him and turned to see Tae’s face an inch from his, pouting. 

“It’s cold. I wanna sleep here.” Taehyung announced, before moving close to Jimin, closing his eyes. 

After that, Taehyung had softened, with no trace of anger behind his words. They had become fast friends, and Jimin had been there when Tae had first summoned his wolf. She was an old, powerful spirit, but Taehyung treated her like a best friend, naming her “Yeri” the minute she was summoned. It was adorable, really, how Tae acted like such a child around her. Jimin always thought of him as a little brother, especially when he acted this young. 

“Look, Chim chim, she’s so cute! She’s fluffy, and big, and…” Taehyung rambled, and Jimin broke from his thoughts with a start. 

“Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard. You’ve told me...maybe once...or twice…or every day…” 

Tae laughed. “I can’t help it, she’s too adorable. It’s almost dinner, I’m going to get Jeongguk.”

Jeongguk. The other boy that lived with him and Tae. Jimin had found him in the forest, abandoned. He was only around a year younger, but he had seemed so much younger than Jimin when they had taken him in. He was just a normal human, and Jimin knew deep in his heart that someday, he would die and Jimin and Tae would have to grieve. 

But Jeongguk was with them now. Every day, all the time they had with him, was a blessing. And they would cross that bridge when they came to it. 

Jimin himself was something of an anomaly. He had waves of long pink hair, going down to his back, and kept in a tight braid. He looked the opposite of a strong ruler, in his opinion, soft in all the places where he should be tough, and always slightly off in what to say. He was born successor of the forests of Korea, ruler of the expanse of green and earth for as far as he could see. 

 

Dinner was chaotic, loud, and messy- just as it always was.

“Jeonggukie, pass me more bread.” Taehyung yelled.

“Get it yourself, old man, I’m eating right now.” jeongguk yelled back, laughing to himself.

“Both of you quiet down. Jeongguk, give me some bread.” 

“You’re both strapping young men, I’m sure you can reach across this tiny table and grab the bread yourself. Unless you’re too old for that kind of activity these days, you two grandfathers.” 

Taehyung and Jimin looked at each other for a second before retorting loudly about How dare he speak like that to his elders, and For the love of god jeongguk we look a year older than you the disrespect in this household. Jeongguk cracked up, holding his sides laughing at his elders.

“I’ll get you, Jeon Jeongguk, you disrespectful little shit!” yelled Taehyung, smacking Jeongguk in the head with his spoon.

“You two can do that later,” Jimin said. “We have actual news to discuss.”

Jimin had received news that a city near the edge of the woods was expanding dangerously close to their forest. Whenever a city started to expand too closely, Jimin would normally make sure that they stayed away, barely having to resort to force, but this time, it was different.

The city that was expanding was a fortress, filled with steam and steel factories- steel that none of his spirits nor him could even touch without being harmed. The city itself was called the Iron City, and the very name terrified Jimin. A city of metal- metal which would hurt him just by its very touch. 

Trying to fight against them, as a fairy, would be suicide.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter!! Thank you for reading this fic, it's going to be around 12/13 chapters. So far, the first 5 chapters have been written, and the whole fic has been planned.
> 
> In terms of updates, the next chapter will be posted in 2 WEEKS. this is kinda shitty but i want to make sure i have a majority of the chapters written before i begin posting.
> 
> for updates, follow my twitter: @moonprismtaehyung ! thank you, leave a like + kudos!  
> -moonprismtaehyung <3


	3. bottle up my mind and throw it in the sea

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "mama, please tell me what to do."

It had been a few days since Jimin had gotten the news of the Iron City’s expansion, and he was conflicted.

 

He had already started to hear reports of poisoning spreading to the furthest edges of the forest. Old nature spirits, rooted to their trees, weren’t able to run or evacuate, and Jimin had felt them die, even from where he was a hundred miles from the city. Lakes that were once crystal-blue were drying up, becoming muddied and losing their color, and the leaves on trees were dulling into brown, dead plants.

 

The forest had lived for hundreds of years before this, stretching miles across the land of Korea. Jimin was the child of the queen of the forest, and as the prince, he watched over the entirety of the forest.  _ You have the responsibility to keep this forest alive, Jimin,  _ his mother had said to him,  _ so please protect it to your last breath.  _

_   
_ His mother. The queen of the forest. She had made the forest from her bare hands hundreds of thousands of years ago, giving each spirit life and sanctuary. Jimin remembered her- she was beautiful, in every sense of the word. Larger than life, she had always seemed like a goddess to him. 

 

_ Mama, please tell me what to do. _

 

He knew that it was his duty to protect the forest. He had always accepted it- it was a truth that was unavoidable in his life. If there was ever danger, the Ruler of the forest  _ must  _ protect them to the death. 

 

But this might not be a war that he could win. Hell, he knew that he would most likely die trying to save them. Even so, he had to try. 

 

Jimin began to pace in little circles where he stood. “I need to go, I need to help, I’m  _ going to go- _ ” 

 

He stopped. 

 

“I can’t go when there’s so many people to take care of! No, all of the people who I have to make sure are okay, every day, they can’t be left, what if someone invaded…”

 

“I want to go help, but if someone invaded, the forest would be left unprotected.” Jimin whispered to himself. 

 

_ This is more important _ ,  _ though _ .  _ You need to stop deliberating and  _ **_make up your mind._ **

 

Jimin sighed. He knew that he had to go. His constant deliberation, his hesitation, had plagued him for most of his life. He would second-guess his decisions, never confident that he was doing the right thing. Jimin knew, however, that this was the right choice.

 

He left his clearing that he had been standing in, and walked to the home. In a canvas bag, he threw in things he’d need for the journey- a small blanket, and glass bottles of oil, for fires and for prayer. He also packed his bow. It was strong, with a length of leather wrapped around the center, and even if he wouldn’t be using it, Jimin felt slightly safer with it by his side. He  _ was  _ going into foreign territory, and he had no idea what would await him. 

 

He threw the rest of his belongings in the bag, and grabbed a quill and paper. Bending over, he wrote a quick letter to Taehyung and jeongguk.

 

_ Dear Tae + Kook, _

_ I’m going off for a week or two to try to resolve things in the Iron City. I’ll be safe, I want to return home as soon as possible. When you get this letter, please don’t be mad that I didn’t tell you in person. I didn’t want to worry you and see you upset. It might be a little selfish, but I didn’t want to see either of you sad. I’ll be back very soon, hopefully with good news about our dear forest. Please watch over the forest while I’m gone. We all care about our home so much, please protect it in my absence.  _

_ I love you both very much, _

_ Jimin. _

 

Jimin sighed again as he finished writing. They would be alright- they were both strong, brilliant friends, and he could put his trust into them. Now all he had to do was leave.

 

Before he left, he stopped by the clearing in the woods, a place that he’d spent time in for most of his life. It had a lake, the water clear and reflective, and Jimin walked to it, kneeling down and staring at his reflection. He looked at himself- his long hair falling over his shoulders and reaching the water, and his eyes staring back at him, full of an odd kind of sadness. His hair, pink from root to tips, was down to his back, messy and tangled. 

 

He had been growing his hair since he was a child, and it had served as a reminder of his place as guardian. He was born with the bright hair, a symbol of regality. “Bright as a blossom and just as sweet,” his mother had said. 

 

Looking down again, he noticed he had started to tear up, and a fat tear rolled down his cheek before falling into the water, distorting his image for a second and rippling throughout the pond. 

 

Jimin really was going, away from his home and shelter. And before he left, as he sat at the lake in front of him, he decided something. He opened his palm, and summoned spirals of magic. The magic curled around his fingers, illuminating his hand with a green light before it flowed back together into one single point, sharp and tall, like a knife. Jimin closed his eyes and pulled back his hair.

_ Snip. _

Jimin was finally ready to leave.

_ Snip. _

He was ready.

_ Snip. _

He would save them.

_ Snip. _

 

He looked down one more time at the water, and saw a new reflection. A halo of pink hair circled his head instead of flowing down his back. Jimin had cut his hair, his last tie, and was finally ready to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's everyone's favorite time: moonprismtae trying to write deliberation!!  
> tbh this was one of the most painful chapters to write for me, but after this it's smooth sailing. the chapters also get a little longer after this thank god  
> next update will be 2 weeks from friday (the 1st)!  
> as usual, if you like, leave a kudos and a comment! i read all of them and they honestly make my day a little brighter. love you all!  
> -moonprismtaehyung


	4. build me up (buttercup)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> haven’t done much magic in a while, he thought, it’d be nice to do it before I get to the city.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!! Chapter 3 is officially out!!  
> Okay, before you read this chapter, you must must MUST read it w/ these two songs. i wrote it to this music and it matches!!   
> song 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UhVrX6a2LNs  
> song 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcfAqkPEBtI (thats what the title's from!)
> 
> thank you so so much for reading, leave a kudos and comment if you enjoyed!

The sun beat down on Jimin’s back as he hiked through the hills of his forest. Beams of sun shone down onto the grassy trail in front of him, illuminating small flowers that were growing by his feet. The air was light, and a breeze blew by him every once in a while.    
  
Jimin looked up. The sky above him stretched out, and white puffs of clouds passed overhead. The sky was a beautiful shade of blue, the kind that reminded him of lakes and streams, of hydrangeas and bluebells, and of being on some sort of grand adventure.  _ Leaving like this almost is an adventure, isn’t it? _ he thought to himself. He hummed quietly as he walked, looking up at the passing sky. 

 

Jimin walked for hours, finally stopping when night began to fall. “It’s beautiful,” he mused to himself as he looked across the forest. He had decided to camp on the side of a mountain, where rocks jutted out of the hillside. Pulling himself up, he found a rock big and flat, wide enough to sleep on.  _ I’ll camp here for tonight, _ he thought.

 

He grabbed his bag and began to set up his campsite. He pulled out an old brass pot which had been tied to his bag, and a small wooden bowl. He also took out his blanket, which he set on the ground next to his cookware. Standing up, he walked away for a moment, and came back with a handful of firewood. He lit a fire carefully, and hissed when for just a second it burned his hand. The sun had already set, and the forest was quickly growing cold. Jimin sat by the fire, warming his hands contentedly. 

 

After a few minutes, his hands felt warm and he put them against his cheeks, humming contentedly from the radiating heat. It was a nice night, and when he looked up he could see the stars glittering above him. It was a clear night, and the constellations shone against the dark blue sky in a way that took Jimin’s breath away. 

 

He hummed to himself quietly.  _ I haven’t done much magic in a while,  _ he thought,  _ it’d be nice to do it before I get to the city. _

 

Closing his eyes, he whispered, “Astram iluxi.” Astram iluxi- Ignite the stars. The spells they recited were in latin, words of countries he had never gone to, forgotten by the ages. “Latin held the roots of language, and words have power,” his mother had said. “Learn the words of the generations before you, and you’ll gain their wisdom.”  _ They can’t be that smart, they’re dead. _ Jimin had thought. 

 

The spell he had cast shot up into the air, arcing and bending as a beam of light. It sped up, flying faster and faster, until it appeared to touch the stars. It was still for just a second, until it exploded, and light flew everywhere. The sky appeared as bright as day for a minute, the stars hidden, until the spell pulled back, the light retreating. As the light faded, it appeared to be absorbed into each of the stars, until the constellations themselves were glowing brilliant in the sky. They burned against the blue, each star like a beacon in the dark night. Jimin smiled and laid his back on the rocks, looking up at the stars peacefully. He was slightly out of breath, his breathing a little ragged. He tilted his head and just watched the stars shine.

 

He didn’t realize when he had fallen asleep, but he woke the next morning to the sound of birds calling to each other. Grimacing, he lifted himself up and stretched, his back sore from sleeping on rock. He packed up his blanket, cleaned up his fire, and carefully began his long trek through the woods. 

 

Jimin had always loved the forest. It always had a feeling, something that felt homely. That feeling differed as seasons passed- winter would always make the forest cold and icy, opposed to summer rain feeling like sun and smiles. Winter felt like ice, the cold air burning the tips of ears, cheeks, and eyelashes. Winter was for hiding in quilts and blankets Jimin had made, accompanied by Tae and jeongguk, all of them curled up together. It was the feeling of rasping breaths stinging chapped lips.

 

Summer was almost the opposite- it was the smell of grass, or mouths stained red with berry juice- blueberries, raspberries, blackberries. It felt like late nights spent pointing constellations out from the blue of the sky, like freshly washed clothing, like a burst of energy.

 

And there was fall- the unmistakeable feeling of autumn rain, which smelled smoky, like a doused campsite fire, as if the ground itself had been aflame during the summer months and was just now being put out. It was piles of collected leaves, the cough of a newly revived chimney, roasted chestnuts, or the feel of Jimin’s hands after hours practicing with his bow and arrow. 

 

Fall was never Jimin’s favorite. With fall came the slowing of things, the passage of time. His favorite was the spring. The first patch of warm spring rain caused even the hesitant jeongguk to shed his shoes and run through muddy puddles. Jimin was convinced it was due to the way the rain smelled- like the earth, tulip bulbs, and dahlia roots. It smelled like the ground along a riverbed, like if he opened his mouth wide enough, he could taste the minerals in the air. He loved the flowers, blooming in both brilliant and muted colors, brightening up the bare trees, still recovering from winter.

 

As Jimin walked through the canopies of leaves above him, he smiled.  _ It’s spring, and life is beginning again,  _ he thought to himself. No more of autumn, no trees stripped of their leaves, no dead leaves underfoot-

 

_ Crunch. _

 

Jimin whirled around. He had heard just barely, the sound of a leaf being stepped on. Pulling his bow from his back, he nocked an arrow quickly. 

 

“Who’s there? I’m armed! Show yourself!” he called out.

 

_ Crunch. _

 

There was the sound again, definitely a leaf. And the sound of...muffled whispers, low and panicked.

 

“I said show yourself!” Jimin yelled, tension rising and his muscles tensing. He didn’t know whether to prepare for a fight, or to run. His mind was screaming to run, to not get killed, to stay alive, but Jimin wanted to know so badly what it was. 

 

Jimin looked carefully at where the sound had come from. It was a tall tree, wide around the base. Pulling his arrow, he fired at a low-hanging branch about 6 feet from the ground. It hit the branch with a loud  _ thwack _ , the end of the arrow shaking. From behind the tree, someone yelled, loudly.

 

From behind the tree, another person whispered “Shh! He’ll hear you!”. Jimin lowered his bow and glared.

 

“Jeongguk? Taehyung?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a quick end note: i'm on break starting this friday, so i'll be cranking out the chapters. if i get close to finishing the fic, i'll update the posting schedule, but for now, NEXT CHAPTER IN 2 WEEKS!
> 
> love yall!  
> -@moonprismtaehyung


	5. into the City

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sun was just about to set when they reached the Iron City.

“...jeongguk? Taehyung? You’re…” Jimin stuttered. His eyes darted between the two boys. 

 

Taehyung glanced nervously at his friend. “We got your note, we were worried-”

 

Jimin cut him off with a hug. He almost sprinted to them, wrapping his arms around both boys, pulling them tight. 

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have left, I- I was so determined to try to do something to help that I just put all the burden o-of ruling on you guys-” Jimin was almost sobbing now, his hands shaking. He pressed his face into the rough fabric of their shirts, and tears began to leak out of the corners of his eyes.

 

“Hey, it’s okay! We’re here now, right?” Taehyung said, smiling. His smile lit up his whole face with it’s infectious happiness, and soon Jimin and jeongguk were smiling with him. Jimin pulled the boys closer for one more hug, then stood up. 

 

“But why did you come this far? I can’t go back home, not when I’m this close to the city.” Jimin asked. It was true- he was only a few hours from reaching the city gates. 

 

“We’re coming with you.” jeongguk said. His eyes were determined, and he looked straight at the smaller boy. “We know it’ll be dangerous, which is why we’ll be there to take care of you.”

 

For a second, Jimin wanted to protest. But he looked at them, carefully. Jeonkook’s eyes held a fighting spirit. Taehyung looked so excited, as if the idea of Jimin going by himself was absurd, that it’d never happen. The usually dark eyes were bright and shining, and Jimin knew, deep down, that he could never say no to them. 

 

“Fine.” Jimin sighed. “At least tell me you prepared for this and you brought supplies.”

 

Taehyung’s head whipped around to glare at jeongguk with poorly-disguised panic.

 

_ “Really?!” _

 

\--

 

The trio hiked for another hour before jeongguk’s complaints of being hungry were too much to bear. They sat in a small clearing, just big enough for all of them to be able to lounge in the sun. Jimin took out his brass pot, and had Taehyung fill it with water and jeongguk fetch them any roots or vegetables he could find. He came back with an armful of sweet potatoes and apples, and Jimin baked them until the scent of warm, sweet food filled the air. They sat together, eating calmly until the sun was almost directly above them, and they resumed their long trek.

 

The sun was just about to set when they reached the Iron City.

 

They had arrived at the city gates, which were tall and intimidating in the fading light. It jutted out of the nearby mountain, and even from many lengths away, Jimin could smell the scent of coal and burning materials. The entire city was shaped, without edges and natural paths like the forest that Jimin was used to. The roofs of houses were exact and square, and the high, imposing fence that seemed to last a million miles, but in reality was only the length of the city, was smooth and refined. From inside the city, lights began to twinkle on, and the boys gasped. There were hundreds, if not thousands, oil lamps and industrial lighting, slowly lighting and illuminating the city. From their perspective, high upon the hill just above the city, it almost looked as if a hundred lightning bugs were flickering on in a hot July evening. And from this high perspective, they could see the millions of weapons, stockpiled in sheds and in homes, weapons of deadly steel.

 

Slowly, with the walk of men sent to war, the triad climbed down the hillside, treading with the silence of a cat stalking it’s prey. They had planned their entrance a few hours before- sneak through the back gates, go through the housing area, and sleep on the streets for a night. The next day, they’d meet with whatever force governed this town. 

 

Jimin and the others sprinted lightly to the first edge of the fence. Up close it was more intimidating, and it seemed to stretch up forever in the sky. It was made from the shells of old trees, sharpened into points at the top. Jimin shuddered, and he had a passing thought:  _ What if that’s what becomes of us? _

 

“Taehyung. It’s time.” he whispered, his voice trembling slightly. 

 

Taehyung unclasped his hand and pressed his palm against a spot on the fence. His eyes shut and he whispered his spell. “ _ Adfligo. _ ” he murmured. His voice was barely audible, but the magic still took hold. From his palm, a quiet hissing sound resonated, and plants and vines spread from his hands like wildfire, ending in a round shape just big enough for them to fit through. Taehyung’s eyes flew open, and he fell to his knees, panting heavily. jeongguk ran to him, supporting his drained form, but Jimin stood transfixed.

  
Through the small hole in the fence, Jimin could see the city, finally, at eye level. There were billowing machines, loud noises everywhere, and the whirring sound of moving parts. And Jimin was scared. It was too big, it was  _ huge, _ how could he have thought to ever try to make a change here? Seeing the city like this shook him, and he felt so, so small compared to his giant surroundings. It almost made him want to collapse, or to cry, at the very least.

 

He looked back at Jeongguk and Tae. Tae’s eyes were fluttering closed, but Jimin could see an ill-disguised look of fear in his eyes. He looked to Jeongguk, and saw the same. Pulling himself up, Taehyung began walking.

 

“We can do this, you guys.” He said, looking behind him as he walked. “We’re strong, and able. Jimin and I have magic. Jeongguk has muscles.”

 

Jeongguk laughed weakly. “That’s true. Come on, Jimin. We can do this.”

 

And the triad entered the Iron City, together. 

 

\--

 

Jimin walked along the streets, stepping lightly. 

 

The city was almost unreal. Every few blocks, he would see what looked like miles of glowing lights, coming from huge, tall homes furnished of bricks and metal. Then, only a few minutes away, the scene would shift, and the lofty buildings would be replaced with low, run-down homes, with walls of thin wood. Whenever the three would walk past, the sound of laughter and cheering would echo from inside the houses, and Jimin would smile, thinking of their own home miles and miles away.

 

The only difference from home was that here, they had nowhere to go.

  
Jimin tried not to say anything, but by every passing block, he realized that soon, they would be back at the city limits. There were no shelters to sleep under, no open clearings or spaces. The sun had long set, and the moon was high in the sky. 

 

Jeongguk yawned, and for just a second, his grip on Taehyung’s shoulders slackened. Taehyung, who until just then had been leaning on Jeongguk for support, dropped like a stone and landed on the hard stone floor. He made a loud squawk of indignation, rubbing his back.

 

“I think we  _ might _ need to find somewhere to sleep,” Jimin laughed. 

 

Looking around, his eyes fell on a stranger, leaning against a wall with his eyes half-lidded. His hair was a mousy shade of brown, and fell in wisps around his face, framing it neatly. He was humming to himself, and it seemed like he was waiting for someone. Every few seconds, he would look up at the moon, almost as if he was trying to judge the time from it’s position in the sky. 

 

Jimin walked towards him. “Excuse me, sir?”

 

The man whipped around, catching his balance against the wall. “Oh  _ god,  _ you scared me-”

 

He paused. He stared at Jimin’s hair for one, two seconds, before running to him and grabbing him by the shoulders in a tight hold.

 

“Hey, what do you think you’re doin-” Taehyung began to say, but was cut off by the man’s voice.

 

“Your hair- are you...You couldn’t be one of the Anyang slaves? No,  _ no-  _ who are you?” The man’s voice rose, and his hands trembled. He studied Jimin’s face one more time before a look of sadness passed over his face, and in a second, it was gone. 

 

“You guys are new to the city, aren’t you? I’m Jin, come in, quickly,” He smiled, and opened the door he was leaning on.

 

The four stepped inside, and looked around at their new surroundings.

 

The home was spacious, with high ceilings and wooden floors. Mats and pillows littered the floor, and the entire room smelled like tea and wood. To Jimin, it reminded him of home again- being back in the house in the forest, with Jeongguk and Taehyung there with him. 

 

The tall man, Jin, pulled up a few pillows, and motioned for the boys to sit around a low table. Slipping of their sandals, they hurried to meet him eagerly. 

 

“I’m sorry for scaring you guys. I’m Jin- I run a restaurant in the city. Where are you guys from? You definitely don’t seem to be from around here,” Jin said. 

 

The three glanced at each other, before Tae said, “Y-yes, we’re from...the tree…” his voice faded away. 

 

Jin smiled, looking at the boy’s nervous faces. “Are you from the forest?”

 

They nodded reluctantly. “We’re looking for the emperor, to stop the expansion into our home,” Jimin said. “Can we stay here until morning?”

 

“Of course, this is a place for all. I’ll get you set up in a little while. But tell me about yourselves! I don’t even know your names yet,” Jin said. He stood up and walked to grab a ceramic pot, and began making tea. “I hope you like green tea,” he called out from behind the counter in the kitchen. Once the tea was ready, he sat back down. “Now talk.” he said.

 

Jimin explained everything, starting from the beginning, with how he was the guardian of the forest, and he was trying to stop the Iron poisoning from infecting more of the forest. He told Jin how Taehyung and Jeongguk came to live with him, and how they had, until now, spent their days serene and happy. Once he was done, he sighed, contented, with nothing else to tell.

 

“It’s amazing that you’ve come so far,” Jin said, sipping his tea. “I’ve come from pretty far lands, too.

 

I used to be a slave. I lived in the Anyang province, a small peaceful village. But everything changed two years ago. Slave traders invaded our town, and took every last citizen. The beautiful people were separated from the working people, and those that were neither were killed. By some good fortune, I was sorted into the group of those who couldn’t work, but were attractive enough to sell as servants for royals. I had rose hair then, much like yours, Jimin- when I first saw you, I thought you were part of the town.   
  
It was hell working for those men. They would degrade us, use us for their pleasures, make us dance. I was never really any good at it, and so eventually, I was sold.”

 

Jin stopped for a second. “But on the day I was supposed to be sold, I was freed. My dear two friends came and cut the chains that were holding me, and we ran to safety. I could never repay- repay how they freed me. His name is Namjoon, you three will meet him later when he gets home.

 

The other man is Min Yoongi, and I think you will all get along with him like a house on fire.”


	6. home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little before they had gone back to their room, two more men had come in.

Jin gave the three boys a small spare room to sleep in. It was small, with low ceilings and fading wallpaper, but the entire house they were in radiated warmth, both from the house and from the inhabitants.

 

A little before they had gone back to their room, two more men had come in.

 

The first was tall, with a muscular build and bright eyes. He had hair that was a dark shade, almost green, and was pushed back so a few strands framed his face, and the rest was cropped closer. He was wearing a black jacket, and unbuttoned it while saying hello to Jin.

 

The second man was smaller. His face was round, and he was beaming, his smile stretching from cheek to cheek. He had a shock of tangerine hair which fell over his eyes, until he pushed it back off his face. But the main difference was that this man was wearing an outfit that Jimin had never seen before. He had a wispy piece of cloth over his hair, which looked like a veil, and was decorated with small flowers. A white top hung off his shoulders, ending abruptly at his shoulders. It was patterned beautifully with green fabric and little orange flowers that matched his hair. A white skirt hung from his hips, reaching down to his calves. He had more white cloth tied around his waist in a neat bow, and wore leather sandals.

 

“Ah, Jin, come help me out of this stuff,” the man called, groaning as he slipped off the headpiece. The other man with the green hair collapsed on a pillow, and Jin went to take off his shoes. He turned around and saw the boys, and stopped.

 

“Jin, you didn’t tell me we had guests,” he said slowly.

 

Jimin gasped, and for a second was afraid that they would be cast out, back into the streets.

 

“Come here! Welcome home! We’ll get you some food in a second, you must be starving, Jin must’ve frightened you- whatever he told you about Namjoon and Yoongi and I is probably false!” the man laughed, excited suddenly, and bounded to the small kitchen, pulling out plates. “I’m Hoseok- you can call me Hobi- and that’s Namjoon over there, with his husband feeding his foot feti-”

 

A pillow flew through the air and smacked Hobi in the face.

 

“I’m wounded! Oh no...my time...has come...come here, young child...I must give you my passing words…” Hobi faked injury, and the boys laughed.

 

“I’m Jimin, this is Taehyung and Jeongguk. Thank you for having us, so much.” Jimin said, smiling a little.

 

 _This place really does feel like home,_ Jimin thought from his bed.

 

The next morning, Jimin woke up before the others. He slid out of bed, and made his way to the kitchen, half awake. He prepared his two friend’s breakfasts as per usual, falling asleep every few minutes and jolting back awake. Without paying attention, he put the smallest amount of energy into using magic to make them food, flying plates and pans back and forth, and soon the house was filled with the smell of baking bread. After maybe half an hour, Jimin was fully awake, so he decided to make a little extra food- after all, this wasn’t his house, even if he had used his own (magic) ingredients.

 

“Am I still dreaming?” a voice carried through the halls. “Because if I’m not I want some of that bread.”

 

It was Hobi, and Jimin yelled, startled, and a small plate dropped from his control. It fell onto the counter, chipping, but not shattering.

 

“You...you scared...me…” Jimin huffed, out of breath. “I made breakfast.”

 

“I can see that. How’d you levitate those plates? Are you secretly magic?” Hobi laughed.

 

“I’m a forest spirit- so is Taehyung. You guys can’t do anything like that?” Jimin asked, curious.

 

“Oh god no, but I wish. How do you do it- if you don’t mind me asking?” he said.

 

Jimin smiled. “I’ve had enough practice that it’s almost like breathing, but when I do a more complex charm- like this-” at this, Jimin lifted his hands, and from them, small blossoms curled around his fingertips, spreading like wildfire down his hands and onto the kitchen counter. Each stem grew, blooming with flowers of every color, until they stopped for a second, and began to dissolve like ash in the wind, breaking apart in the early morning light.

 

“That kind of magic’s a little harder.” Jimin finished.

 

Hobi stook, jaw gaping for a minute, before smiling. “That was amazing, beautiful really. You’re from the forest? I’ve heard legends of spir…”  
  
He stopped, waited for just a moment before yelling, “WAIT, YOU’RE THE PRINCE?”

 

“Shh, shh! Please! I-” Jimin started, but Hobi was already whispering in a conspiratorial tone.

 

“There were rumors, sure, but we all thought that the forest didn’t have a guardian, just a bunch of deer and trees, not actual people, _oh my god that means that Tae is the other boy that was seen-_ ”

 

“Slow down, slow down please! What other boy? Where did you even- how do you know about this?” Jimin said, worry written across his face.

 

“So there was this merchant, right? And he used to always use a trading route through the forest, no big deal. But one day he came back and he was traumatized, like he wouldn’t talk to any of us for a few days, and when he did, he said he had seen things. He said that he had gone in the forest, on his usual path, and he had seen two boys, one of them with little wings and the other with long pink hair, and he called them royalty. And none of us believed him, he was obviously just some old crackhead, but _you’re real._ ” Hobi rambled, staring at Jimin. “Wait, if Taehyung’s the other boy, where are his wings?”

 

“He hid them since we’re in the city. They’re wonderful and huge now, he might show you sometime. We are the rulers of the forest. I’m the prince- the highest ruler, and Taehyung and Jeongguk are my second-in-commands, but it’s so much more than that. We’re family,” Jimin said. “I would give my life for them, and likewise they would for me.”

 

At that moment, a sleepy Jeongguk walked in. “Thank you for...meal…” he muttered, barely half awake, before grabbing a loaf of bread and retreating back to his room.

 

“We should start waking people up,” said Hobi, and Jimin went with him to rouse the others. They started at Jin and Namjoon’s door, and older boy loudly rapped on their door. “Breakfast, you two.” he shouted, with the tone of a mother waking her kids.

 

“You’re really like the mom here,” Jimin commented.

 

“Me? No, no, that’s Jin, one hundred percent. He’s always making sure we eat, making sure we take off our shoes, worrying-”  
  
“ _We can hear you!_ ” shouted Jin from inside. “Give us a minute, we’ll be there soon.”

 

The pair walked towards the next room. “Ah, this is Yoongi’s room, but he’s not here right now. If he was that would be your job waking him up, because last time I tried that, I got cussed at.” Giggling, Hobi walked to the next room, knocking on the door of Tae and Jeongguk’s bedroom. “Wakey wakey, sleepy heads,” he yelled.

 

Soon, the six were all together at the cramped main room, circled around a small table.

 

“I was thinking we should show the three new kids around the city a little. Hobi and I can take them if you’re busy with work, Jin,” Namjoon said.

 

“Sounds good. You’re up for that, kids?” Jin asked.

 

Taehyung smiled. “Of course, that sounds great. Jeongguk’s hungry, as well.”

The four walked out of the city and were hit with a bright beam of sun, causing Jimin to gasp and recoil. The city was drastically different from how it was at night, and the buildings looked almost smaller in the sunlight. What had appeared as towering buildings last night now just looked like commonplace homes, albeit hundreds of them.

 

“Are our country boys getting their first taste of the big city?” Namjoon asked. “How do you like it?”

 

“It’s amazing,” Jimin said, as Taehyung objected, “We’re not country boys!”

 

“Oh, you _absolutely_ are. Home-patched clothes? Weird hair? You look like you just came straight from the provinces.”   
  
Jeongguk stared, and asked, “What’s a province?”

 

Hobi and Namjoon stared at each other for a second before bursting out laughing. “Fuck, they really are city boys!” cried Namjoon. Jimin laughed and shoved Hobi, and he staggered before pretending to collapse against the wall. “Help me, please!” he cried, almost crying from laughter.

 

Jimin smiled, and in the split second after he pushed Hobi, something flew out of seemingly nowhere and pinned him to the backdrop of the cement wall he was standing on. A second and third object flew, fixing his sides to the wall, and a fourth hit right next to the top of his ear, grazing it slightly and resonating next to him with a dull, metallic hum.

 

Jimin could hear shouting, and he could hear a voice. His vision was blurring, and he remembered, _Jimin, please, never let the iron touch you_ , and he twisted his head slowly to look at the four metal knives buried in the wall and barely touching his earlobe, and before he lost consciousness, he heard a voice.

 

“ _Who are you, and who are you to try to hurt Hoseok?_ ”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as usual, follow me on twitter! @moonprismtae. updates might be a little slower- i have 3 more fully written chapters, and maybe 5 or 6 more to write.
> 
> if you enjoyed, leave a kudos or comment!   
> <33 -moonprismtaehyung


	7. proxima

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jimin found himself slipping into sleep. His head dropped to his side, and the world vanished from sight. 
> 
> When he woke up, he woke up to the sound of laughter.

Everything was blurry to Jimin, but he knew there was something wrong with him. To be precise, there was something wrong with his left ear, and it was burning like a fire had lit up half his face. He slowly turned his head and saw a silver knife an inch from his view. It was simple, no details or engravings, just sleek metal.

 

His vision was fading, but he heard yelling- Jeongguk straining against Taehyung’s grasp, trying to reach someone, _who_? An orange shape was stood in front of him, arm stretched out to form a physical barrier between him and-

 

There was a new man standing in front of the man protecting him.

 

Jimin caught a glimpse of his face, a brutal look written across his features. He was shouting- _at what?_ Jimin thought for a second. The man’s eyes caught his for a second, and he shot him a look that was so riddled with disgust, Jimin felt like he could cry. He tried to keep the eye contact, but the world began spinning and everything faded to black.

 

Jimin was dreaming, or at least he thought he was.

 

He could see a face, a man’s face, delicate and void of emotion. He was wearing a uniform, the collars turned up at the corners and golden buttons on the chest. The man was…

 

“Cute,” breathed Jimin.

 

And he was- despite the intimidating outfit and posture, he had small features- a round face with just a hint of chubby cheeks, mostly overshadowed by his cheekbones. He had a round button-nose, and he was surprisingly skinny. He almost reminded Jimin of a doll, perfectly still and beautiful. He was, in a sense, beautiful, but Jimin didn’t- he-

 

The man opened his mouth to speak. “ _I love you,”_ he said, but his eyes weren’t looking at Jimin. They were focused off in the distance, as if he couldn’t even see the boy standing in front of him.

 

“Can you see me? Sir? Can you…” Jimin paused, panic rising in his chest. “You can hear me, right? Where- why am I here? Please…” his throat was tight, and a horrible feeling of anxiety rose through his body.

 

Jimin woke up screaming.

 

He woke up screaming, but when he opened his eyes, he was back in Jin’s home, laying on his bed.

 

“Jimin, oh my god, he’s awake!” said a voice from next to him. He turned and saw Taehyung and Jeongguk sat next to him, just the slightest trace of tears in their eyes.

 

“We were so scared you were- you got cut by the iron and you fainted and we just- we didn’t-” Jeongguk stammered out, before pulling the smaller boy in for a hug. “I’m so sorry, we didn’t protect you-”

 

“He was trying to fight that man, Jimin. I had to hold him back, we were so scared.” said Taehyung, taking his place on the side of the bed. “That man- that was the Min Yoongi the others were talking about?”

 

 _Min Yoongi_.

 

Almost by magic, when Jimin thought of the name, the door slid open, and a short man walked in. “You’re Jimin, right?” the man said, his words clipped and with no hint of friendliness.

 

“I am. Why?”

 

“I want you to leave. You and your friends.”

 

Jimin froze. The man- Yoongi- was looking down at the floor, not meeting his eyes. “I’m sure you are all capable of finding a new home, but I cannot forgive you hurting Hoseok. Please go.”

 

“Wait, hold on. Jimin didn’t-” Jeongguk started, but Jimin already rose off the bed.

 

“Tae, Jeongguk, let’s go. We can...we can find somewhere else,” his voice shook, and he hurried to collect his things. “Thank you for...for having us here…” he trailed off, and before he could say anything else, he was running out of the room, his two friends trailing after him.

 

\--

 

Jimin ran, faster than he had ever gone. The thin soles of his shoes burned against the pavement, and thick, heavy sobs rose up through his chest. He couldn’t stop running, if he stopped he would have to _think_ about the people he was leaving behind, Jin and Hobi and Namjoon, and that would surely make him break down.

 

He sprinted away from the house, passing squares and factories. Slowing down, he turned around to see if Taehyung and Jeongguk had any ideas about where to stay, but he didn’t see them, and a heartbreaking sob ripped through him. He was lost, with no idea where he was, and all alone.

 

He sat down where he was, leaning his back on a wall. He could sleep here for the night, and find the ruler of this godforsaken town, demand to stop the expansion into the forest, and go home. _That’s what I came here to do, not find friends_.

 

Jimin found himself slipping into sleep. His head dropped to his side, and the world vanished from sight.

 

When he woke up, he woke up to the sound of laughter.

 

An old woman was huddled at the alley entrance, and her laughter was avaricious, increasing in volume and sharp in tone. A smile lit up her face, but there was something about it- that _smile_ , not even a smile by definition, teeth bared and all apprehension, _and sanity, perhaps_ , gone from her face. Her eyes were full, but tight, and she hunched her back as she stumbled towards where Jimin was shivering in the corner of the small alley.

 

The woman stared towards Jimin, her eyes avid and predatory, roaming over Jimin’s lithe figure. “New to the city, young one?”  
  
Jimin nodded mutely, frozen in fear.

 

She cackled, and it reminded the boy of a raven in the forest trees of home, all black and oils and an intense wrongness. “Welcome, welcome! The city hasn’t captured your heart yet? Don’t worry, little one, you don’t have long until the buildings all up in the sky come down...come down on you…”

 

She paused for a minute before continuing her sermon.

 

“Do you know there’s a million words for appetite? I was a woman of the holy faith, and we knew them all, before I...before I knew too much...there are so many words for appetite, and this city knows them all. It’s a place of craving, of demand, of gluttony greed hunger-”  
  
Stumbling, she caught herself and laughed to herself.

 

“Come here, young one…” she half-whispered, beckoning Jimin closer. “I have a secret to tell you.”

 

Jimin pulled himself close to her, his hands shaking with tension. Her breath was unnaturally cold and felt like ice against his body- he felt like he was burning compared to her, _why was it so hot?_

 

_“The secret is that this city will kill us all.”_

 

Jimin stifled the scream that was building up in his chest, because this was all too much, and suddenly everything around him felt suffocating. The woman leaned back, laughing again, and continued her sermon with a fervent tone.

 

“But everything in this city...oh, _oh,_ everything here will fall. Because of the August King, the center and beating heart of this city and the eventual downfall, born a king of his family’s downfall, all because of _him_ , he’ll fall to the forest, or to itself, but it will fall, going down, down, down…”

 

She turned suddenly and whipped her head around.

 

“The forest. I feel it in you. It’s climbed all over you like a million leeches, I can _feel_ them, you have the forest on you-” The woman shuddered and twitched before beginning to yell, louder and louder. “Abberant, abnormal, corrupt, debased, debauched, all of you has this lingering on you- _Kill the forest child.”_

 

And with those words, she went rigid, falling to her knees and looking down at her palms.

 

“But I cannot fix you, young one, and you will infect more and more the longer you stay here.”

 

The woman began to laugh. She laughed and laughed until it seemed like she had no air left in her lungs, and she kept laughing, small trails of tears streaking down her cheeks even while she was _still laughing that horrible laugh_. The woman, horrible, horrible woman, closed her eyes and limped out of the alleyway, tears in her eyes and still laughing horribly, like she knew how the world was going to end, and doing nothing to stop it.

 

As soon as she left the alley, Jimin collapsed onto the floor, sobbing loud, horrible cries that never seemed to end, painful dry sobs wracking his body and leaving him shaking on the floor. It felt to him, in that moment, that every memory, every person who had ever helped him get to the point in his long life that he was currently in was gone. It was like they had just disappeared into smoke, gone from his grasp, and he was horribly, irrevocably alone.

 

Jimin had no idea how much time had passed since leaving Jin’s house, but it was a long time after that he was able to stand up and leave the alleyway. It was nearing evening, and the sky was different from how he had last seen it. He wiped the tears from his eyes and looked up at the sunset, splayed across the heavens in wonderful shades of royal purples and golden, and Jimin almost smiled to himself, thinking _If this specific sunset was alive, I think it’d look a lot like Jeongguk- so bold and embellished in all the finest treasures the world can offer. I think- I’d like to name a sunset after each of my friends someday._

 

And Jimin picked himself up and, looking up at the sunset that was now named Jeongguk, walked back through the city.

 

“Jimin! Jimin! Hey, he’s over here!” a voice shouted.

 

Jimin whipped his head around, and saw Namjoon jog towards him. He stopped a foot away from Jimin, and looked at him for just a second before pulling him into a tight embrace. He wrapped his arms around the larger man’s torso, holding him in an impossibly tight grip.

 

“Good to see you too, Jimin,” Namjoon chuckled, and ran a hand through hair. “You wanna come back home now?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hooooly shit i havent updated in a month but here's an update for u kids :0  
> i have 0 idea when the next update is- i have 1 and a half more chapters prewritten, but i'm writing rly slowly  
> thank u for reading and comment/leave kudos if u enjoyed!!  
> -moonprismtaehyung

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Come yell at me to finish this faster at twitter- user is @moonprismtae. This will be where updates are posted and any important info. Thanks! <3


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